Unsure About His Future, Sinner Only Vows to Get Better

It’s a frightening prospect for his rivals, but a jubilant Jannik Sinner insists he’s not even close to peaking after etching his name alongside tennis titans Novak Djokovic and Roger Federer in the sport’s record books.

Historic Victory at the Australian Open

Sinner’s one-sided 6-3, 7-6 (7-4), 6-3 victory over Alexander Zverev in Sunday night’s Australian Open final—the first featuring the world’s top two players in six years—cemented his dominance. The win not only earned the Italian a third major title in just 12 months but also elevated him into elite company.

The 23-year-old became only the third man in the Open era (since 1968) to claim three consecutive hard-court grand slam titles, joining Djokovic and Federer in the record books.

“It Feels Amazing”

“It feels amazing,” Sinner said after defending his crown and receiving a hero’s welcome from fans during the trophy ceremony at Melbourne Park.

“Obviously, it was a very, very long run to have this one again. It is definitely a different feeling for sure.

I know how much work I put into this one and, having this one twice, it’s amazing. You have a different kind of pressure as defending champion. You have different kinds of expectations because you know you can do it, potentially.

It was a different run from last year. I struggled. But this is the reason why I kept going—the crowd. It means so much to me.”

A Year of Unparalleled Success

In addition to his two Australian Open titles—won on either side of his first US Open crown in 2024—Sinner claimed the ATP Finals championship and led Italy to a successful Davis Cup defense.

Yet the world No.1 is already eyeing improvements for 2025 and beyond.

Areas for Improvement

“Maybe the second serve could be a little bit more aggressive and trying to sneak into the net a little bit more,” Sinner said.

“For sure, there are some areas where I can improve.

I also want to be a better player. I’m not only seeing the result. It is important in one year’s time to say, ‘OK, I have improved as a player,’ and that is much more important.”

Future in Doubt: French Open Participation Uncertain

Despite his recent success, Sinner’s participation in the French Open in May is under a cloud. The Court of Arbitration for Sport in Switzerland will hear a doping case against him in April, with the World Anti-Doping Authority (WADA) challenging a decision by the International Tennis Integrity Agency (ITIA) not to suspend Sinner.

The ITIA previously ruled that the presence of a banned anabolic steroid in his system in March was due to accidental contamination.

Potential Ban Looming

The closed-door hearing, scheduled for April 16-17 in Lausanne, could result in a suspension of at least one year, jeopardizing Sinner’s quest to hold all four grand slam titles simultaneously—a feat achieved by only Rod Laver (1969) and Djokovic.

Staying Optimistic

Despite the uncertainty, Sinner remains positive:

“Honesty, having difficulties especially in the tough moments and how I handled them, I know exactly this will help me in the future.

But I also want to enjoy this one because this one has a different feeling, has a different perspective, this trophy.

“It’s difficult to talk about the future. But this one means so much to me.”